Odell Beckham Jr. delivered the signature moment of Giants training camp on Saturday, and Tuesday’s practice showed exactly why his roster spot is still far from settled.
Beckham’s Saturday Touchdown Changed the Camp Narrative
Beckham made a leaping grab over a defender in the back of the end zone on an 18-yard touchdown from Jameis Winston during Saturday’s 11-on-11 drills at The Greenbrier. The catch drew the loudest ovation of camp from a crowd of roughly 2,000 fans.
He may not be the same player who torched secondaries for the Giants a decade ago, but he’s still getting open consistently. That separation is real, even at 33.
Cambre and Berrios Stole Tuesday’s Practice From Beckham
Beckham didn’t catch a pass in Tuesday’s live drills, even though he ran his routes well and drew praise from coach John Harbaugh. The bigger story from that session belonged to two players fighting further down the depth chart.
Dalen Cambre caught three passes, including a goal-line touchdown from Winston on a rub route. Cambre worked his way onto the Giants’ roster in the second half of last season and has carved out a role on special teams.
Braxton Berrios had the best day of anyone at receiver, catching five passes in live drills, including a long touchdown from Winston. Darius Slayton and Malachi Fields both saw limited workloads the same day.
JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Knee Swelling Raises the Stakes
Smith-Schuster sat out Tuesday’s practice with knee swelling, and he’s already fighting for a roster spot in a crowded receiver room. Missing reps while Cambre and Berrios both have strong days is not a situation he can afford for long.
| Player | Tuesday Camp Status | Recent Production |
| Odell Beckham Jr. | Ran routes, no catches in live drills | TD catch Saturday vs. defense |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | Out — knee swelling | Missed a full practice |
| Dalen Cambre | Active, three catches | TD catch Tuesday |
| Braxton Berrios | Active, five catches | Long TD catch Tuesday |
Malik Nabers’ Recovery Still Caps the Offense’s Ceiling
Nabers continues to take part in individual drills but steps aside once team periods go live. The Giants’ top receiver is working back from a knee injury that required multiple surgeries, and Harbaugh called Saturday’s session encouraging.
Nabers has said he feels great and doesn’t want to put a timeline on his return, adding that he’d been running routes for weeks before camp opened. Until he’s cleared for full team drills, Beckham, Mooney, and the rest of the receiver room absorb the target share that would otherwise go to Nabers.
Dart’s Penalty Problem Is Bigger Than One Practice
The Giants committed nine offensive penalties in Monday’s first padded practice, played through a downpour, then added five more on Tuesday. Dart threw an interception Monday when a wet ball slipped out of his hand in the rain.
This is a new scheme under Harbaugh, and the mistakes reflect that learning curve. They won’t disappear overnight.
On defense, rookie linebacker Arvell Reese has been the standout of camp, including a sack of Dart on Monday after beating left tackle Andrew Thomas on a blitz. Cornerback Deonte Banks has had chances at the ball too, tipping one pass and narrowly missing another interception in the rain.
A defense playing ahead of schedule points toward lower-scoring games, which compresses the fantasy ceiling for every Giants pass-catcher, Beckham included. Preseason action begins the week of Aug. 13, when live snap counts will start confirming who actually holds a roster spot.
